Austria is a largely mountainous country due to its location at the eastern end of the Alps. This mountain range dominates the western and southern parts of Austria while the country’s lower-lying eastern provinces are in the Danube basin.

The most important sectors of Austria’s economy in 2012 were wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (22.3%), industry (21.8 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (17.7 %).

Austria’s main export partners are Germany, Italy and the US, while its main import partners are Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

Belgium is a federal state divided into three regions: Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, francophone Wallonia in the south and Brussels, the bilingual capital, where French and Dutch share official status. There is also a small German-speaking minority in the eastern part of the country. Belgium’s varied landscape includes: 67 kilometres of sea coast and flat coastal plains along the North Sea, a central plateau and the rolling hills and forests of the Ardennes region in the south.

The most important sectors of Belgium’s economy in 2012 were public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (22.8 %), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (19.9 %) and industry (15.9 %).

Belgium’s main export partners are Germany, France and the Netherlands while its main import partners are the Netherlands, Germany and France.

Croatia borders Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia and has been an independent country since 1991. The country has a long and dramatic coastline with the Adriatic Sea, in which the country has over 1000 islands and islets, of which just 48 are permanently inhabited.

The most important sectors of Croatia’s economy in 2012 were industry (20.9 %), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (20.1 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (16.0 %).

Croatia’s main export partners are Italy, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany while its main import partners are Italy, Germany and Russia.

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe and became a separate state in 1993 after Czechoslovakia split into two countries.

The most important sectors of the Czech Republic’s economy in 2012 were industry (31.0 %), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (19.5 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (15.3 %).

The Czech Republic’s main export partners are Germany, Slovakia and Poland while its main import partners are Germany, Poland and Slovakia.

Denmark is the smallest as well as the most southerly and most low-lying of the three Scandinavian countries and consists of The Peninsula of Jutland and an archipelago of more than 400 islands of which 72 are inhabited. Denmark borders Germany to the south, is connected to Sweden by a road and rail bridge and has a tidal coastline of 7 314 km.

The most important sectors of Denmark’s economy in 2012 were public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (23.9 %), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (19.4 %) and industry (17.0 %).

Denmark’s main export partners are Germany, Sweden and the UK, while its main import partners are Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Finland is one of the five Nordic countries and the northernmost country in the EU. Finland is one of the most sparsely-populated countries in the EU and is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north and Russia to the east.

The most important sectors of Finland’s economy in 2012 were public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (21.9 %), industry (19.1 %) and wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (17.5 %).

Finland’s main export partners are Sweden, Russia and Germany, while its main import partners are Russia, Germany and Sweden.

Capital:Paris |Official EU language(s):French | Currency : Euro

France attracted more than 83 million tourists, making most popular tourist destination in the world. Paris is the most visited city by tourist in the world which has very famous Eiffel tower as heart of tourist attraction. France has 37 sites inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List and features cities of high cultural interest (Paris being the foremost, but also Toulouse, Strasbourg, Bordeaux,Lyon, and others), beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, and rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity (green tourism). Small and picturesque French villages of quality heritage (such as Collonges-la-Rouge or Locronan) are promoted through the association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (litt. “The Most Beautiful Villages of France”). The “Remarkable Gardens” label is a list of the over two hundred gardens classified by the French Ministry of Culture. This label is intended to protect and promote remarkable gardens and parks.

Capital: Berlins |Official EU language(s):German | Currency : Euro

Germany is a country rich in natural beauty. Between the North Sea and Baltic coasts in the north and the peaks of the Alps in the south lie extremely diverse landscapes, with everything from wide expanses of river and Lakeland scenery, hilly uplands and densely wooded regions to agricultural plains and industrial conurbations. The Zugspitze is the highest mountain in Germany at 2,963 metres. Germany’s longest river is the Rhine, which flows through the country for a total of 865 kilometres. Germany has 14 national parks, 101 nature reserves and 15 biosphere reserves. Germany is hub for engineering, research & development, automobile and healthcare industry. Every year many exhibitions and trade fairs organized in Germany to promote these industries where millions of people around the world visit Germany to expand their businesses.

Capital: Athens | Official EU language(s): Greek | Currency : Euro

Strategically located at the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, Greece forms the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula in south-east Europe. Its territory includes several hundred islands in the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean seas, of which only 227 are inhabited. Eighty per cent of Greece is mountainous and Mount Olympus is the highest point in the country (2 917m).

The most important sectors of Greece’s economy in 2012 were wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (23.2 %), public administration, defense, education, human health and social work activities (21.2 %) and real estate activities (16.7 %).

Greece’s main export partners are Turkey, Italy and Germany while its main import partners are Russia, Germany and Italy.

Hungary is a landlocked country in central Europe, which borders with no fewer than seven countries: Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. The country is mostly flat, with low mountains in the north.

The most important sectors of Hungary’s economy in 2012 were industry (26.8%), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (17.6 %) and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (17.3 %).

Hungary’s main export partners are Germany, Slovakia and Romania while its main import partners are Germany, Russia and China.

Ireland comprises five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The north-eastern part of the island is Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom.

Ireland has a long coastline. To the west is the northern Atlantic Ocean and to the south the Celtic Sea. To the east Ireland is separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea.

The most important sectors of Ireland’s economy in 2012 were industry (26.3 %), public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (17.8 %) and wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food service activities (16 %).

Ireland’s main export partners are the US, the UK and Belgium, while its main import partners are the UK, the US and Germany.

Capital:Rome |Official EU language(s):Italian | Currency : Euro

The miracle of Italy is that all its treasures come packaged in a gorgeous country of majestic mountains, placid lakes, idyllic islands, splendid cities and wonderful walled villages. An ideal climate plus warm and gracious people make Italy a perfect destination for an active vacation, the art lover, the gourmand, the hedonist combined. Italy has highest numbers of UNESCO world heritage sites in the world. High art and monuments are to be found everywhere in the country. It is also famous worldwide for its delicious cuisine, its trendy fashion industry, luxury sports cars and motorcycles, diverse regional cultures and dialects, as well as for its beautiful coast, alpine lakes and mountain ranges (the Alps and Apennines). No wonder it is often nicknamed the BelPaese (the Beautiful Country).

Liechtenstein, officially the Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked German-speaking micro state in Central Europe, It is a constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north. It has an area of just over 160 square kilometres (62 square miles) and an estimated population of 35,000. Divided into 11 municipalities, its largest town Schaan.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a landlocked country in northern Europe surrounded by Belgium to the west, France to the south and Germany to the east. Per capita, it is the richest country in the EU as well as being one of its smallest. It is largely made up of rolling hills and forests.

The most important sectors of Luxembourg’s economy in 2012 were the financial and insurance activities (24.7%), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (17.8%) and public administration, defense, education, human health and social work activities (15.7%).

Luxembourg’s main export and import partners are Belgium, Germany and France.

Capital:Amsterdam | Official EU language(s): Dutch | Currency :Euro

The Netherlands is a low-lying country with around a quarter of its territory at or below sea level. Many parts of the Netherlands are protected from flooding by dykes and sea walls and much of the land has been reclaimed from the sea. The Netherlands has a long coastline with the North Sea and borders Belgium to the south and Germany to the east.

The most important sectors of the Netherlands’ economy in 2012 were public administration, defense, education, human health and social work activities (22.7 %), industry (19.4 %) and wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (18.6 %).

The Netherland’s main export partners are Germany, Belgium and France, while its main import partners are Germany, China and Belgium.

Norway officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a sovereign and unitary monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arcticarchipelago of Svalbard. The Antarctic Peter I Island and the sub-Antarctic Bouvet Island are dependent territories and thus not considered part of the Kingdom. Norway also lays claim to a section of Antarctica known as Queen Maud Land. Until 1814, the Kingdom included the Faroe Islands (since 1035), Greenland (1261), and Iceland (1262).

Russia also officially known as the Russian Federation, is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both with Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China,Mongolia, and North Korea. It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth’s inhabited land area. Russia is also the world’s ninth most populous nation with nearly 144 million people as of 2015. Extending across the entirety of northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe, Russia spans nine time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and land forms.

Capital:Bratislava | Official EU language(s):Slovak | Currency :Euro

Slovakia is a country in eastern central Europe and is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The Carpathian Mountains extend across the northern half of the country and include the High Tatras, which provide a natural watershed between Slovakia and Poland. In the southern half of the country are the lowlands of the Danube plain.

The most important sectors of Slovakia’s economy in 2012 were industry (27.0 %), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (22.3 %) and public administration, defense, education, human health and social work activities (13.3 %).

Slovakia’s main export partners are Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland while its main import partners are Germany, the Czech Republic and Russia.

Situated in southern Central Europe, Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and southeast, and Hungary to the northeast. The north of the country is dominated by the Alps, while in the southwest, the Karst Plateau is a region filled with limestone caves and gorges. Slovenia has a coastline of 46,6 km by the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Croatia.

The most important sectors of Slovenia’s economy in 2012 were industry (25.2 %), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (20.4 %) and public administration, defense, education, human health and social work activities (17.8 %).

Slovenia’s main export and import partners are Germany, Italy and Austria.

Capital:Madrid | Official EU language(s):Spanish | Currency :Euro

High plateaux and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada dominate much of mainland Spain, which is on the Iberian Peninsula. To the north, the country is bordered by France and Andorra, and to the west by Portugal. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, and two autonomous exclaves in North Africa: Ceuta and Melilla.

The most important sectors of Spain’s economy in 2012 were wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (25.3 %), public administration, defense, education, human health and social work activities (18.1 %), and industry (17.4 %).

Spain’s main export and import partners are France, Germany and Italy.

Sweden has the largest population among the Nordic countries and is the third-largest country in the European Union by surface area. To the west, Sweden is separated from Norway by mountains and is connected to the south by a road and rail bridge to Denmark.

The most important sectors of Sweden’s economy in 2012 were public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities (23.9 %), industry (19.9 %) and wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services (17.6 %).

Sweden’s main export partners are Norway, Germany and the UK, while its main import partners are Germany, Norway and Denmark.

Switzerland is a landlocked country in central Europe with border with France, Italy, Austria, Liechtenstein and Germany. The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters and cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers. Switzerland is known for its mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) but it also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 4,634 m while Lake Maggiore is only 195 m above sea level.

Turkey officially the Republic of Turkey is a contiguous transcontinental parliamentary republic largely located in Western Asia with the portion of Eastern Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and the Black Sea to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia., Turkey’s location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it a country of significant geostrategic importance.

The UK isn’t 1 country but 4. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each has a distinct feel with varied landscapes, regional cultures and different things to see and do. Tour with us around these unique lands and sample their gripping history, dynamic towns, quiet corners and passionate people. Exciting cities, historic places rich in heritage, stunning countryside and beautiful coastlines. There are UK Holiday destinations to suit everyone. Find out where to go in Britain with our guide to the best places to visit in the UK.

Vatican City officially Vatican City State is a walled enclave within the city of Rome. With an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of 842, it is the smallest internationally recognised independent state in the world by both area and population.

It is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state ruled by the Bishop of Rome the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins. Since the return of the Popes from Avignon in 1377, they have generally resided at the Apostolic Palace within what is now Vatican City, although at times residing instead in the Quirinal Palace in Rome or elsewhere.

Within Vatican City are cultural sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. They feature some of the world’s most famous paintings and sculptures. The unique economy of Vatican City is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications.